A process for treating glaucoma whereby the treatment can be accomplished by the use of medication or by surgery, or both, in order to control or prevent the occurrence of glaucoma. The optic nerve is aligned within and between two distinct pressurized spaces and within the dural sheath, the intraocular space and the intracranial space having an intraocular pressure (IOP) and an intracranial pressure (ICP), respectively. Medicine can be administered to raise the intracranial pressure in order to reach a desirable lower translaminar pressure difference across these two pressurized spaces which are separated by the lamina cribrosa in order to treat glaucoma. An alternate closely related mode of the treatment process is the implanting of a shunt substantially between the intraocular space and the intracranial space in order to beneficially equalize pressure differentials across the intraocular space and the intracranial space.

The present invention relates to ventricular drain placement. In order to provide improved guidance in ventricular drain placement for emergency situations, a guiding device (10) for emergency ventricular drain placement is provided comprising an image data input (12), a data processor (14) and an output interface (16). The image data input provides optical sensor-based image data of a head of a subject. The data processor generates an optical shape of the head based on the image data and provides a plurality of datasets of heads with different head shapes, wherein each dataset comprises a spatially assigned trajectory for a ventricular drain placement for the respective head shape. The data processor maps the generated optical shape of the head with at least two of the head shapes of the plurality of datasets and determine a best matching head shape of the dataset and further selects the respective assigned trajectory. The output interface provides a projection of the selected assigned trajectory in spatial relation to the head of the subject as adapted guiding path for ventricular drain placement for the subject based on the mapping of the generated optical shape of the head and the determined best matching head shape.

Embodiments disclosed herein provide devices, systems, and methods for reducing intraocular pressure. For example, the disclosed devices, systems, and methods are useful for reducing intraocular pressure resulting from conditions, such as acute glaucoma, on a short-term basis until a definitive surgical procedure is performed. More particularly, valved trocar cannula systems for reducing intraocular pressure resulting from conditions, such as acute glaucoma, pending surgical intervention in an operating room are disclosed. In practice, a trocar assembly is used to place a valved cannula assembly in a patient's eye, such as in the anterior chamber or pars plana, to reduce high intraocular pressure. The valved cannula is then left in the patient's eye for a period of time to continuously allow aqueous humor or liquid vitreous humor to flow therethrough, until the patient may be surgically treated in an operating room.

Magnetic-based electronic valve readers for determining a location and orientation of magnets coupled to implantable medical devices to determine a setting of the device (e.g., setting of a fluid flow control valve of the medical device). The electronic valve readers include an orientation sensing mechanism that is provided and configured to enable the electronic valve reader to: 1) allow for internal offset calculation of an orientation change of the electronic valve reader during a reading process; and/or 2) during the reading process, provide an indication or warning to the clinician that the orientation of the electronic valve reader has changed to an extent at or exceeding a predetermined angular acceptance threshold or window. Systems including the disclosed electronic valve readers and methods of reading a setting of the device are also disclosed.

A ventricular shunt assembly, used in conjunction with a hyperbaric environment (e.g., having a pressure of about 250 to about 350 mm H.sub.2O above atmospheric pressure) can be used to correct a patient's intraparenchymal venous pressure from a sub-normally low value to a normal value. The shunt may comprise a valve, e.g., and adjustable valve, disposed between the ventricular catheter and the distal catheter. Optionally, the shunt comprises a reservoir on the ventricular side of the valve.

Disclosed is a valve assembly operable to selectively control a flow or passage of a fluid. The valve assembly may be applied to any appropriate mechanism such as a hydrocephalus shunt, fluid draining sewage system, or tank holding system. The valve assembly disclosed may include a selected profile for various applications.

The device presented is designed to cause, in a mode of operation referred to as normal mode, a fluid to flow along this fluid path successively through the first cavity, the filter, the second cavity then the flow restrictor. The device is also designed to cause, in a mode of operation referred to as purge mode, a fluid to flow along this same fluid path through the filter but in the opposite direction to the normal flow of the fluid (in the normal mode of operation). Thanks to the purge mode, the fluid will detach impurities that have become trapped on the filter in order to clean same.

Detecting spatial location and rotation (pitch, roll and yaw) of an implantable programmable valve device having a direction of flow of fluid therethrough. A permanent-magnet rotor disk associated with the valve has magnets arranged in a ring. A single position within the ring represents a moveable reference marker position. Also included in the valve is a first fixed, stationary, non-moveable magnet disposed a predetermined distance relative to the moveable reference marker position. A magnetoresistive sensor array produces the as magnetic field pattern including a moveable reference marker corresponding to the moveable reference marker position in the ring and a first fixed reference marker corresponding to the first fixed, stationary, non-moveable magnet. An indicator device determines spatial location based only on the moveable reference marker and yaw based on the moveable reference marker relative to the first fixed reference marker.

Drug delivery systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a drug delivery system can be configured to deliver a drug to a patient in coordination with a physiological parameter of the patient (e.g., the patient's natural cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pulsation or the patient's heart or respiration rate). In some embodiments, a drug delivery system can be configured to use a combination of infusion and aspiration to control delivery of a drug to a patient. Catheters, controllers, and other components for use in the above systems are also disclosed, as are various methods of using such systems.

A self-offsetting implantable valve system including a catheter having an outer perimeter, a free terminating end and an opposite second end. A plurality of holes are defined proximate the free terminating end of the catheter. The system further including a self-offsetting memory component disposed radially about the outer perimeter of a portion of the catheter proximate the free terminating end of the catheter. This self-offsetting memory component is transitionable between a first state subject to application of an externally applied force and a second state free from the externally applied force. While in the first state at least a portion of the self-offsetting memory component having a diameter smaller than that same portion of the self-offsetting memory component while in the second state.